


No One's Slick as Gaston

by ArielAquarial



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Flirting, Dean Winchester as Gaston, Disney World & Disneyland, Fluff, M/M, POV Castiel (Supernatural), Pining Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25316623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArielAquarial/pseuds/ArielAquarial
Summary: Cas’s plan was simple: get in, get work experience, get out. That’s how he found himself working in the costume department for one of the world’s biggest corporations: Disneyland. Enter Dean Winchester, resident Gaston character actor, who is just as flirtatious and annoying as the man he portrays.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Charlie Bradbury/Gilda
Comments: 12
Kudos: 156
Collections: The Destiel Fan Survey Favs Collection





	No One's Slick as Gaston

**Author's Note:**

> This has been in my head since I visited Disneyland in January. I hope you enjoy it!

Working at Disneyland was something Castiel never considered as an option. He always wanted to be a costume designer—movies, television, Broadway, it didn’t matter. He aspired to create outfits that would inspire imaginations, the kind of costumes that people would write entire articles and blog posts about, trying their hardest to recreate the outfits for themselves. He wanted to spend his whole life with the feeling of fabric slipping through his fingers, the weight of scissors in his palm, and the pedal of a sewing machine under his foot. Unfortunately, no one would hire someone based on one measly degree and plenty of passion. He needed experience, and there were few places offering to hire him based on his scant portfolio alone.

Disneyland came to his rescue like he was a princess in a tower. He was hesitant to even apply, but Charlie was able to shake some sense into him.

“How are you supposed to get experience if you don’t apply for a job? It’s not like you’re signing your life away. You can quit at any time."

He wasn’t sure applying to Disneyland _wasn’t_ akin to signing his life away. When he first moved to Los Angeles in the hopes of finding a job, he made the trip to Anaheim a few times a month. He had grown up thinking Disneyland was some magical place where dreams come true. That all ended when he got to know some people who worked there. They, just like him, moved to LA in the hopes of making it big. Getting a job at the theme park temporarily while they made their dreams a reality was par for the course, but few made it out. He heard countless stories of dealing with nightmare guests, useless managers, and the strict rules that being an employee of the happiest place on earth entailed. He wasn’t interested in becoming one of them… until it was the only viable option he had.

Charlie was right. How could he expect to be hired onto a movie set if he wasn’t willing to get his hands dirty? How could he complain about not having a job if he refused one that was ripe for the picking?

He applied later that week, using Charlie as a reference, and had his interview a few days later. All said and done, it took him under two weeks to get hired into the costume department. It wasn’t his dream job, but it was a start.

Castiel wasn’t trusted with costume building and design, but he _was_ responsible for getting the character actors and actresses into their costumes and if he was very lucky, he was able to make small repairs on the costumes themselves. He got dressed in tan khakis and a light blue button-down every morning before reporting for a full day of helping some of the kindest people he’s ever met into elaborate costumes. Cas loved getting his hands on the clothes and was constantly surprised by the quality and fit. He helped Mickey get into his giant gloves and helped ensure Daisy could see out of her mask, made sure every prince and princess was ready for their shows, and did it all working beside Charlie as she secured wigs and touched up makeup.

He enjoyed it far more than he thought it would and even considered staying with Disney and working his way up to design.

Well, he enjoyed _most_ of it.

Dean Winchester, their resident _Gaston_ , was a thorn in his side. He came in every morning with a smirk on his face and flirtations on his tongue. No one was safe from his advances. He flirted with every princess, every worker, and even the department manager. When he was in the makeup chair, his wig being glued and his freckles covered with a layer of foundation, every word that left his mouth were covered in a layer of honey.

It amused Cas at first. It just figured that they would hire a real-life Gaston to play the role. He had seen Dean's work and he was _good._ Children and their mothers flocked to his side to receive his flirtations and slightly sexist one-liners. He pressed fake kisses into the knuckles of little girls, encouraged young women to hang off of his muscles for pictures, and made it very clear he was on the hunt for a wife. In essence, he was the perfect Gaston.

It was incredibly amusing. He laughed from afar with the rest of his coworkers as Gaston swaggered around with bowed legs that accentuated the swing in his hips. It wasn’t until the charm was turned in his direction that he started having an issue.

It started his second week on the job. He had just switched from taking care of the princesses of The Royal Hall to some of the rotating characters. Working with Maleficent, Peter Pan, Alice, and the other roaming characters was a breath of fresh air. Their outfits were easier to move in and that meant they were easier to get in and out of, a nice change from the stiff gowns he started with. He _loved_ it.

And then he met Dean.

The handsome man walked in with his lips pulled up in a grin, finger guns at the ready, handing out cheek kisses and fist bumps to his fellow character actors. Then, those green eyes landed on Cas.

“Fresh meat!” the man called out in excitement, swaggering his way over.

Cas couldn’t help the way his cheeks lit up in a blush under the man’s gaze. “Castiel. It's nice to meet you.”

“Gaston.” He took Cas’s hand, but instead of shaking it, he brought it up for a feathery soft kiss. “But you can call me Dean.”

Cas’s eyes widened and he froze to the spot, his face turning a shade of red he hadn’t thought possible. Cas’s reply was nothing more than a shuddery exhale. Never before had such a handsome man, or _any_ man, kissed his knuckles like he was a damsel in a historical romance.

“Enchanté,” Dean murmured, finally releasing his hold on Cas’s hand. “Are you the one that’s doing me up?”

He cleared his throat in an attempt to get himself under control, his voice coming out raspier than intended. “Yes. I have your outfit right here.”

“First time getting Gaston ready?”

Cas nodded and turned away to busy himself with unzipping the garment bag. “Yes.”

“Don’t be nervous.” He looked Cas over with an appreciative eye. “I’ll be gentle.”

It was almost too much for Cas, but by some miracle, Cas was able to get Dean into his costume. Although Dean hadn’t said much more after their brief introduction, Cas could feel the heat of Dean’s gaze on him throughout.

Finally he was done, and without prompting, Dean walked himself to Charlie’s station so he could get his black wig glued on.

Cas almost collapsed into his chair in relief, but all too soon, the fairy godmother was coming his way. Despite his insides still feeling like jello, he greeted her warmly and got to work, lending his shoulder so she could step into the flowing blue robes. By the time she was ready to move on, Dean was gone.

By the third day, Dean’s flirting began to grate on his nerves. He had felt special until he remembered that everyone was getting the same treatment. Even Charlie, who everyone knew was as gay as they came, was being flirted with outrageously.

It was that realization that turned the tide. How dare he flirt with Charlie, who wore rainbow pins in her hair and spoke often of her girlfriend. How dare he put her in the awkward position of constantly having to be kind in her rebuttal because she would be fired if she let her attitude bleed through. It was wrong and set Castiel on edge. She couldn’t do anything other than smile and listen as he winked and smirked, or else she would lose her job.

From that day on, every interaction Cas had with Dean was short and to the point. He said nothing that wasn’t necessary and ignored his flirting completely.

Dean, to Castiel’s surprise, seemed to notice the change in attitude immediately. His flirting calmed and the blushes he used to be able to pull out of Cas were now coming from _him._ Cas figured it was the embarrassment from his behavior finally catching up to him, and he got a petty sense of joy when a well-timed _look_ and monotone reply made the man turn beet red.

Charlie, for her part, excused the behavior despite Cas’s concern.

“He’s not actually an ass, okay?”

“Just yesterday he told you to massage his feet! He told you that you belonged at home in the kitchen and that if you think too hard, you might hurt yourself. That doesn’t bother you at all?”

“You’ve seen Beauty and the Beast, right? He’s just getting into the role.”

Castiel sincerely doubted that. From the moment he walked in on Cas’s first day, he’d acted like an outrageous flirt. “Don’t tell me he’s saying that to the guests…”

“Yes he is, and they love it. It’s basically his job to propose to every woman he sees, you know.”

Cas snorted. “I don’t like that he flirts with you. It’s rude.”

She rolled her eyes. “He flirts with _everyone,_ not just me. Unclench.”

“Yes, but not everyone is a lesbian. I just think it's disrespectful. You’ve been out and proud since your first day, there’s no way he doesn’t know.”

“Of course he knows. He’s my friend! You’re just jealous that he flirts with _everyone,_ not just you.”

His skin heated against his will. “I’m not.”

“You _so_ are.”

“He called me ‘hot stuff’ last week,” Cas pointed out. “ _That’s_ what I have a problem with.”

Charlie stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. “He called you _hot stuff_? Oh, I’m going to give him so much shit!”

“It was uncalled for…” he muttered, red-faced and embarrassed.

“If you don’t like it, I’ll talk to him. The last thing he wants right now is an HR complaint.”

“I can take care of my own problems.” He busied himself with sorting his garment rack. “His flirting really doesn’t bother you?”

She shook her head. “He’s not flirting with me, Cas. The idiot is just getting into character. He heard Christian Bale was a method actor and he’s been insufferable ever since.”

“Christian Bale?”

“Batman, come on!”

He rolled his eyes. “I doubt ‘ _hot stuff’_ is in Gaston’s lexicon.”

“It’s definitely not. Unfortunately for him, that’s all Dean.”

He squinted at her, not understanding the meaning behind her raised eyebrows. There was some sort of significance to her stare, but Cas had always been bad at deciphering expressions. “What do you mean, ‘all Dean?’”

She just gave him an affectionate pat on his cheek. “You’ll get it soon enough…”

Thankfully, the woman who played Alice bustled into the room and he had to cut the conversation short. He spent the rest of his shift wondering about the importance of ‘ _hot stuff’_ not being Gaston, but Dean instead. As he went to bed that night, he was no closer to the answer.

**o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o**

Dean waltzed in the next morning, hips swinging and smirk in place. “Good morning, beautiful!”

Cas picked up Dean’s khaki tights and sturdy black boots and held them out to him, ignoring the greeting. The man winked in return and sauntered into the changing room so he could get into the form-fitting garment away from prying eyes. As he waited, Cas prepped the scarlet top, making sure the padded muscles were nestled into the proper places. Dean came out a few minutes later in the tights and a snug white t-shirt, lips still tilted up in a flirtatious pout and muscles practically bulging out of his shirt.

Dean was only silent for the moment it took Cas to retrieve the brown leather belt. “How’s the morning going?”

As much as Cas wanted to ignore the annoying man and just get on with his job, his manager had told them on their first day to treat the character actors as well as they would treat the guests in the park. That meant polite conversation was unfortunately part of the job. “It’s going well, thank you.”

Dean nodded and put his arms through the sleeves, staying still so he could be zipped in without any accidental pinching. Castiel stood back and adjusted the padding, making sure they would stay where they were supposed to as the man moved around. Dean let himself be moved around in silence, used to the treatment. “Have any plans today? A few of us are going to the other park after work to get some food. We were thinking Lamplight.”

Cas paused to consider. California Adventure _did_ have amazing food. In fact, Lamplight Lounge had the best chili-ginger glazed wings he’d ever tasted, and he salivated at the thought. Cas glanced up at Dean’s freckled face and met his hopeful gaze. The denial got stuck on his tongue, causing him to reconsider. He cursed his weakness for green eyes and pouty lips.

“Who’s coming?”

His question seemed to surprise the man, bringing a flush to his cheeks. “Charlie and Gilda.”

The two women had been dating for a few months, so it was no surprise that if Charlie was coming, her girlfriend wouldn’t be far. They would also be a great buffer for Dean’s flirting. He bit his lip, unable to believe he was willing to hang out with a group Dean would be a part of. “I don’t get off until seven.”

“That’s fine!” he replied quickly, fastening his belt around his waist with fumbling hands. “I can make the reservation for seven-thirty.”

He shrugged, trying not to show how quickly his heart was beating. “As long as we don’t stay out too late, I’ll go.”

Dean smiled widely and turned to Charlie’s station where she was fighting with Dean’s wig, forcing wisps of black hair back into place. “Awesome. I’m going to…”

He nodded and watched Dean rush over to Charlie’s station and throw himself into her chair. Cas turned away from them and began getting the next costume ready, puzzling over Dean’s weird behavior.

With the prospect of good food on the horizon, his shift passed quickly. By the time the last character actor was out of his station and he was finally able to start cleaning his area, it was already six-thirty, and his stomach was rumbling with hunger. In just a half-hour, his friends and Dean would be able to head over to the neighboring park and wind down after a long day.

Charlie finished her tasks first, practically skipping over to his station and helping him zip the appropriate items into each character's garment bag for the laundry crew. “Dean said you’re getting dinner with us. He finally wear you down?”

“He hardly needed to wear me down. Once I started thinking about food my decision was already made.”

“You’re just like Dean, then. You shoulda heard him talk about their cheddar burger.”

He bit his lip in order to hold back his displeasure at being compared to Dean. “Well, I’m almost done. Are they meeting us there?”

“Gilda is already waiting for us outside and Dean wanted to clean up first before he headed over.”

He nodded and walked with Charlie to the changing rooms to get back into their street clothes. If there was one thing that had been drilled into their heads, it was that they couldn’t be seen in their uniforms in either of the parks. Changed and freshened up, they were finally able to clock out. When they left the building, Charlie ran to give Gilda a big hug and flood her cheek with wet kisses. He rolled his eyes at the display but was too happy for his friend to give them any grief. “Come on, I’m starving.”

Gilda pushed her girlfriend away playfully and winked at him. “Sorry about her. She acts like she hasn’t seen me all week.”

“It’s been an entire day.” Charlie groused. “I’ve almost forgotten what you look like.”

He tuned out their sappy banter and focused on getting out of the park through the crowds of people. They walked quickly, worried that they’d miss their reservation if they didn’t pick up their pace. They pulled out their employee IDs and got into California Adventure no problem and made it to Lamplight Lounge in record time, practically running across the bridge before stopping in front of the restaurant to catch their breath.

After a moment spent panting with their hands on their knees, Charlie popped up with a smile. “This is great! We haven’t had an actual date in weeks!”

Cas smiled at them, seeing the obvious love and affection in their gazes. It was times like this he wished he had what they did. A boyfriend to call his own and a – His feet stopped moving, forcing them to stop just before they entered the restaurant. His mind swam and his gut clenched.

A hand rested on his shoulder, Charlie’s blue eyes taking in his pale face. “You ok, Cas?”

“Charlie!” he hissed, eyes wide in panic. “Is this a double date?”

She shrugged with wide eyes, unable to wipe the guilty expression off of her face. “No! Totally not. Why would you even think—”

He glared harder.

“It was Gilda’s idea!”

Gilda elbowed her sharply in the side. “Way to throw me under the bus, sweetheart.”

“Charlie…” he warned. “What is this?”

She threw her hands in the air. “Nothing! We’re just two sets of homos hanging out. No big deal.”

“It is a big deal if this is a _double date._ How could you—” the rest of his tirade froze on his tongue. “Dean’s gay?”

“No,” she corrected, “he’s bisexual.”

“Oh.”

Charlie and Gilda shared a look. “Oh? That’s it?”

Cas shrugged. “I didn’t know.”

“Cas, he flirts with you all the time, remember? That automatically makes him at least a little gay.”

“We talked about this!” he growled back. “He’s just acting!”

Gilda shuffled from foot to foot. “I have to grab our table. Be nice, Charlie.”

She left them alone under the awning and Charlie turned back to him. “He likes you!”

“He flirts with everyone,” he reminded her weakly. “I thought he was just…”

“Just, what? Messing with you? I’d kill him myself if that was the case.”

“But I’m one of three men in the costume department so I’ve never seen him flirt with any other guy. I thought that he was just…”

She gave him a look of sympathy. “Well, he’s not. I promise. He’ll kill me for telling you, but he _likes_ you. Trust me, if he was just doing the Gaston thing it would look completely different.”

He thought back to the way he treated everyone else. The obvious sexist comments, the over the top winks and posing, the smug way he spoke. Then he thought of the blushes Dean would send his way when Cas cocked an annoyed eyebrow at him, or the way he would sometimes hold his breath when he adjusted the costume on his body, and the way he’d stumble over his words when he spoke. ‘ _That’s all Dean’_ he remembered Charlie telling him. Suddenly, her words made sense. Everything swirled in his head in a confusing mass, the only thing rising to the surface was the fact that Dean _wasn’t_ messing with him. He was just a terrible flirt. “Oh.”

Charlie seemed to take pity on him. “Want me to call Dean and cancel?”

“No, I just need a second.”

She gave him a pat on the back. “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think he’s realized this is a double date either. If there’s one thing he and Gaston have in common, it’s the thick skull.”

Cas chuckled lightly, wholeheartedly agreeing with her comment about him being a little thick. Would it really be so bad to have a date with Dean? His immediate thought was _yes_ , that it would be very bad. He pushed that idea out of the way and thought about their more recent interactions, ignoring that horrible first week on the job where Dean did nothing but poke at him. The man was able to take a hint, he’d give Dean that. Once Cas’s blushes turned to glares, the flirtations softened to nothing more than the occasional smirk and wink. He’d dated men who had treated him worse, he supposed. Besides, one date didn’t mean _anything._ If it was that bad, he could leave. “Can you do me a favor?” he asked.

“Anything.”

“I’m going to go inside and sit with Gilda. Can you wait for him and drop a few hints that this _is_ a double date?”

She squeaked loudly in excitement. “Oh my god. Yes! Ok, get inside and I’ll talk to him. I’ll be subtle, I promise!”

He internally cringed at her promise of subtlety, but forced himself into the restaurant and to the small table where Gilda was waiting with a stack of menus. His heart pounded in his chest as he pretended to read the menu while they waited for Charlie and Dean. Cas couldn’t believe that not only was he willingly going on a double date with Dean, but he was actively encouraging Charlie in her little matchmaking game. Sensing his discomfort, Gilda reached across the table and put a comforting hand on his. He let his shoulders relax a little and let out a breath. He could do this.

It was the sound of a metal chair scraping across the wooden floor that alerted him to Dean’s presence. He sat in the chair stiffly, face red and eyes going anywhere but Cas.

He was nervous, Cas realized. The great Dean Winchester, resident Gaston and Class A flirt, was _nervous._ Sure, it could be the double date that was just sprung on him, but he’s seen character actors deal with worse in the park all while maintaining their 100-watt smile. Hell, he’s had to clean vomit off of gowns multiple times and knew for a fact that those princesses kept their composure. This _had_ to be nerves. All anxiety left his body and suddenly, he wanted to laugh at the thought that he was making the other man nervous… that Dean Winchester was _afraid_ of him. He turned in his chair to face Dean, a smug smile playing on his face. “Hello, Dean. Would you like a menu?”

Dean’s eyes followed the movement of Cas’s hand, eyes landing on the stack of menus. He picked up the first menu and handed the other to Charlie once she settled into her seat. “Thanks.”

He turned back to his own menu and started looking for a drink—virgin, because regardless of how the night went, he still had to drive himself home. Cas’s eyes landed on the Goofball Island and he smiled at the name. Decision made, he put his menu down and turned back to Dean, catching the man's eye just as he looked away.

“So, this is kind of weird… I’m not used to seeing you in clothes.” Dean froze, wide-eyed and embarrassed as what he said clicked. “Shit! I mean, it’s weird to see you in normal clothes! You know—you’re always in your uniform, and—” His mouth clicked shut and he cleared his throat. “You look good.”

Cas glanced down at his dark wash jeans, worn brown boots, and a hand-me-down graphic T-shirt. A few days ago, he would have assumed Dean was making fun of him, but now… “Thank you. You look nice as well.”

That prompted Dean to finally look at him, their eyes meeting and holding for a few beats too long. “Thanks.”

Their waitress saved them from an awkward silence and took their orders. Charlie and Gilda were turned towards each other, talking loudly and trying to give them as much privacy as you can give two people on a surprise blind date. He appreciated the effort, but he knew for a fact Charlie and Gilda were paying close attention and would be dissecting everything later.

Dean cleared his throat, dispelling the silence between them. “Was work, you know… nice today?”

He decided to throw him a bone. “It was, actually. No wardrobe malfunctions, so I’d say it was a success. How was yours?”

“Hot as hell. I swear I was seconds away from passing out this afternoon. My keeper practically had to drag me backstage for my break so I could swap into a clean shirt. I should send the cleaning crew a thank you card for the amount of sweat they’re going to have to wash out of that thing.”

Cas gave him a small smile. “You enjoy it, though. I can tell.”

“Well, yeah. I know I’m no one’s favorite character, but the kids love me anyway.”

“Must be nice. Have you always wanted to be Gaston?”

He scoffed. “Hell no. Flynn was my first pick, but Gaston gets to have more fun with the guests, so I’m not complaining. The prince’s scripts are too strict.”

“Whereas you are free to roam while demanding foot rubs from little girls.”

“That’s one of my favorites. I’ve had a lot of mothers try to take me up on that offer.” he shuddered at the thought. “And more than a few fathers.”

Cas watched Dean as he continued to talk about his favorite interactions of the day, unable to believe he ever thought Dean was anything like Gaston. Sure, he smirked and swaggered around, loving the attention, but he was quickly learning that Dean was just a confident guy. Of course, it helped that he was incredibly handsome.

Dean paused the conversation to take a sip of his cherry coke, giving Cas the chance to interrupt. “Well, I personally think you’re the perfect Gaston.”

He smiled at that. “Yeah? How so?”

“Well, you’ve got that slimy smirk down perfectly, and you walk around like you own the place.”

“I _do_ own the place,” he confirmed with a wink.

“And that wink is bound to get you in trouble.” In the back of his mind, he knew he was verging on flirting territory, but for once, he didn’t care. “You’re so good at it that when I first saw you I had you pegged as an asshole. Now, I know you just don’t know when to turn it off.”

He cringed at that. “Yeah, I noticed. I never wanted to make you uncomfortable, you know. Charlie told me I was being an idiot, but it’s too hard to switch back and forth. Once I’m at the park, I’m _Gaston_.”

“Hence the horrible flirting,” he mused.

“Hey!” he cried out softly in defense, face flushed with embarrassment. “I’m a great flirt!”

Cas cocked an eyebrow at him in a challenge.

“Come on, Cas. That’s not fair. You can’t do the eyebrow thing to me, it's too—”

“Too what?” he asked, his eyebrow still raised.

“Nothing,” Dean forced out. “Anyways, if I’m _always_ Gaston it makes it easier to keep in character when I’m with the guests. 

“Well, we’re not at Disneyland right now, so who does that leave me with?”

“Well, technically we’re still on Disney property—” a sugar packet smacked him in the chest and his head whipped towards Charlie and Gilda, who were still innocently absorbed in conversation. He turned back to Cas and shook his head, mumbling with annoyance. “Just plain Dean.”

“I think I might like Dean a little bit more than Gaston,” he admitted, loving the pink flush on Dean’s cheeks.

“Aww!” Charlie gushed from the other side of the table, earning herself a light smack to the shoulder from her girlfriend.

“Charlie!” Dean groaned, snatching the packet of sugar up so he could toss it at her head. She ducked out of the way with a smile, snatching a coaster and tossing it like a frisbee. Cas leaned away from them and met Gilda’s eye. She glanced once to Dean and then back at Cas, giving him an exaggerated eye roll.

He laughed loudly at the absurdity of the situation, gaining Dean’s attention. His smile stayed in place throughout dinner and dessert, past settling the bill and walking to the parking lot, and beyond Dean shyly asking Cas out—this time, just the two of them.

**Author's Note:**

> In the words of my wonderful betta: "cue some cliche line about "dreams really do come true" & tinker bell casting sparkles on them"
> 
> Comment and let me know what you thought!


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